Neighbour issues

hughtrimble · 23 Mar 2019 at 20:16

Evening Overclockers,

I'm looking for advice from the hive mind on how to deal with a rather challenging neighbour. We moved in a couple of months ago (purchased) and the trouble bloke moved (back) in relatively recently

Flat below us
Presumed council tenant (due to what they've said)
In a housing association block
A couple and some very young kids

I have never heard someone so angry. Every single day, the bloke goes off on one (or two or three), yelling at the top of his lungs at his partner or kids for sometimes quite lengthy periods of time. This can happen multiple times a day, at any time of day or night. You can hear every word (a heck of a lot of swearing), door slams, stuff being thrown around etc.

Someone in their flat (guessing him, but could be both of them) also smokes a heck of a lot of weed, and it makes our place absolutely stink. I have no issue with people choosing to partake in the herb, but do when it's in their flat with young kids, and when it stinks out the communal stairway and our flat.

He's perfectly polite outside of his flat, very friendly, but it's like a switch goes when he gets inside their flat, and he goes crazy.

He is extraordinarily aggressive, and as such I do not want to confront him about his behaviour in person. Am also wary of (but will resort to them if it works) written complaints given the issues this can cause in future for selling.

Advice? I want to play this well, not exacerbate things (he could potentially make things much worse by e.g. blasting music).

singularity · 23 Mar 2019 at 20:30

peige · 23 Mar 2019 at 21:40

Move.

Danm54 · 23 Mar 2019 at 21:43

Letterbox?

NoobCannon · 23 Mar 2019 at 21:53

Complain to the council

samcat · 23 Mar 2019 at 22:13

NoobCannon said:
Complain to the council

Then when you come to sell you HAVE to declare a neighbour dispute/issue...

Leopards dont change their spots...
If council etc get involved it might change the behavior for a bit.
It might get them moved (but unlikely.. Very unlikely due to the massive shortage of properties atm).

Sadly your best bet is to plan to sell up, its the only certain solution.

sityeuropa · 23 Mar 2019 at 23:03

How about you go off on one as loud as you can so they know how loud it can be.

Make him think you are the crazy one lol.

hughtrimble · 24 Mar 2019 at 13:47

singularity said:
Sell

peige said:
Move.

Moved in just recently, so no plans to move just yet. I'd like to at least try and sort something before going down that rather final route!

hughtrimble · 24 Mar 2019 at 13:49

NoobCannon said:
Complain to the council

samcat said:
Then when you come to sell you HAVE to declare a neighbour dispute/issue...

Leopards dont change their spots...
If council etc get involved it might change the behavior for a bit.
It might get them moved (but unlikely.. Very unlikely due to the massive shortage of properties atm).

Sadly your best bet is to plan to sell up, its the only certain solution.

As Sam notes Noobcannon, there's a reason I want to try and keep formal paperwork out of it at first. I'll of course resort to that if needed, just currently looking for suggestions on how to proceed without creating an issue that can make things worse later on.

I agree that getting a young family to move out is extremely unlikely (for good reason). Without him there, things are quiet, kids barely make a sound. When he's there, he sets them off crying and screaming at his yelling. He's a really nasty piece of work.

hughtrimble · 24 Mar 2019 at 13:51

sityeuropa said:
How about you go off on one as loud as you can so they know how loud it can be.

Make him think you are the crazy one lol.

I have honestly considered trying the 'make more noise back' move, but this could easily result in them claiming we're the noise makers, not them.

BongoHunter · 24 Mar 2019 at 14:07

Sound proofing can really help, you can get some awesome underfloor stuff these days - if you can't hear it going on, who cares if it's happening...

flea.rider · 24 Mar 2019 at 14:42

tape it .. contact child services ,report weed to police contact council if after 10pm .. if all else fails .. go round with 3 or 4 m8's

Psycho Sonny · 24 Mar 2019 at 15:29

Anonymous tip to the police he is selling weed to kids.

If you do decide to move. make sure it's a detached home and buy the house to the left and right to it too so you never have to deal with neighbours again.

I have 1 decent neighbour and another who I wish would just go away. Her property is in a poor state and subsequently so is her garden, roof, etc. Which has knock on effects. She has pigeons living under her solar panels who take around 100 ***** a day the majority of on top of our cars. She doesn't own the panels either some company put them in for free to get the FIT.

She has never painted any of the fences or treated them or her wooden decking. So the fence now has 2 large holes from her dogs which she said would get repaired. 9 months later we still have holes. her leccy box door fell off 3 months ago was gaffer taped on and it's been lying open ever since. she never opens her blinds/curtains or answers her door.

It's likely when she dies whoever moves in will have to spend a lot of money on doing the place up. She doesn't look after anything. But they may not be spotted by a first time buyer. Things like untreated fences are hidden but the 2 holes now are obvious so they may ask us the question and then it's going to put them off buying if i tell the truth. She did try and sell her house once but wanted more than what it's worth and apparently doesn't have permission to sell. Her husband left and owns half she also doesn't own the panels which means the roof is leased to a third party which mortgage companies don't like.

clubb699 · 24 Mar 2019 at 15:57

Defiantly phone child protection services up it needs stopping ASAP, it sounds like it could be an abusive household on his part from what you have said, not good not good at all

Dis86 · 24 Mar 2019 at 16:03

CPS. What, you heard the usual shouting from him followed by bangs and then a screaming child?

~Divine~Wind~ · 24 Mar 2019 at 16:26

CPS

Weed with kids there

Nope

DarrenM343 · 24 Mar 2019 at 21:23

Could bring it up with the management company. They may be breaching terms of the lease with both the noise and smell.
If they're renting, you can also raise it with the owners/letting agent. The management company should know how to contact one or both of these.

sovietspybob · 25 Mar 2019 at 11:38

Yeah CPS for sure and i'd probably phone 101 and report the smell of weed.

If he did end up hurting the partner or kids could you live with yourself if you never helped when you could?

Minstadave · 25 Mar 2019 at 11:41

The threshold for child protection to actually do anything is well above a bit of shouting and weed unfortunately.

m4rmite · 25 Mar 2019 at 21:28

sityeuropa said:
How about you go off on one as loud as you can so they know how loud it can be.

Make him think you are the crazy one lol.

Knock on his door with a big axe in your hands, ask him if he's seen the aliens land last night whilst twitching, talk to yourself in between the conversation with him.

Go back home, pray the police don't turn up and your home and dry

Neighbour issues

Can't type for toffee